Transform Your Career Path: 5 Strategies For A Confident Transition
Have you ever seen a cat catch a mouse?
She doesn’t go chasing after it as soon as she sees it. Not if she wants to eat. She crouches and quietly approaches…a dragon ready to pounce.
A cat knows what it wants. It also knows how to get it.
Unfortunately, it’s not always clear for humans. We don’t always know exactly what we want. Or, how best to get it. We often need guidance and time for planning – just means you’re human with real needs and concerns.
In this article you will learn 5 key strategies to bridge the gap from where you are to where you want to be.
Do you ever feel stuck in your job? Or like you’re trapped in a maze and can’t find the exit?
Here’s the critical question:
At the end of the day, does your work situation give you energy or does it drain you?
If you are stuck in an energy-zapping job, you are ready for a CAREER PIVOT. That is, a transition away from your job, company or industry into a new one.
The good news is that there’s never been a better time than right now to make a career pivot.
Here are 2 big reasons why that is:
1. Economic instability has never been higher. You might be one of the lucky ones who managed to keep earning during the pandemic. However, you might not be so lucky next time. No one knows what’s going to happen next year, let alone next month – to your job, organization or industry.
2. You are stuck. This affects your happiness, but also the happiness of people close to you. Nothing will improve happiness more than letting go work that drains you to work that fires you up. Your loved ones will benefit from your mood change.
“Over my 25-year career, I’ve successfully pivoted on 4 occasions. It hasn’t always been easy. It hasn’t always been quick. BUT, it’s always been the right choice. Looking back on my 4 career pivots, here are 5 key strategies than can help you transition from where you are now to where you want to go next.”
5 Strategies For A Confident Transition
1) Get honest about your current situation
Before you can move toward something, you need to understand where you are. You need clarity on your current reality and how you’d like to change it.
“Think about it – how can you change something if you don’t know what you want to change? Not only is this the first step, it’s also the most important one.”
Here are 3 self-questions to help you find clarity on your specific work situation:
1. What do I like about my current job? Dislike?
2. What would I like to change about my current situation?
3. What and who could help me make this change?
You must be aware of what you like and dislike in your current job so that you can hold onto it or avoid it in your new one.
2) Take inventory, make updates
Part of understanding your current situation is recognizing how far you’ve come and everything you’ve accomplished so far.
Now is a good time to take inventory of your skills and accomplishments.
How others view you and your accomplishments is also important. It’s probably time to update your CV, LinkedIn profile, etc.
How you come across in the virtual world influences how people feel about you – even though it’s an incomplete picture of you. So don’t rush this step. Invest in professional photos to make a good virtual impression.
PRO TIP: Take time to find some profiles you like so you can integrate the best elements into yours. Start with people you are attracted to.
3) Find a trusted advisor
”Take any top athlete in any sport and you’ll find a coach right behind them. A trusted coach can give you that little push or motivation that you can’t give yourself. There’s no reason why a coach couldn’t help you raise your game.”
If you’re looking for more direction and advice, a mentor might be a good option for you.
Coach, mentor or other trusted advisor, seek out someone who inspires you to achieve your goals.
PRO TIP: For inspiration and advice on how to pivot, look for people who have done what you want to do. Watch video to learn what propelled me:
4) Prioritize what matters
No doubt you’ve got a lot of questions – Where do I start? Who should I contact first? etc.
Imagine you’re a caveman who has to hunt in order to eat. No kill, no food.
Your goal: Find a food for you and your family…or go hungry.
But, your hunting spear is very old. So making a new one is another important goal.
Food or spear ‒ which goal takes priority today?
Clearly, food. A nice new spear will not prevent you from starving.
PRO TIP: When prioritizing between two important goals, ask yourself what action will bring you closer to the more urgent goal.
5) Create an action plan
If the disrupting events of the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that today’s well-thought-out plan may be useless tomorrow.
“Man plans, God laughs”. - Yiddish proverb
This wise proverb doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan. On the contrary.
Every action plan needs 2 things:
1. Flexibility to adjust when the unexpected happens.
2. A feasible backup plan that you can fall back on.
Transform Your Career Path Today
“The future is unknown. Things are not going back to how they were before the pandemic. Therefore, it’s a great time for you to reflect on where you are now and where you’d like to go next. Be like a cat hunting a mouse – laser-focused on its goal, crystal clear on how to get it.”
If you’re not sure what your next career move look likes, these 5 strategies will help you start the transition with confidence.
For my FREE advice on how to start implementing these strategies, book your call now:
Don’t delay - get to work on transforming your career path today!
Thanks for reading,
Tim